This study examines the effect of an exercise and health education/auditory rehabilitation and socialization intervention on functional fitness, hearing handicap and psychosocial distress measures in older adults with hearing loss.
Hearing loss is associated with functional fitness declines and increased risk for isolation, dementia, depression, falls, hospitalization and premature mortality. No studies have determined the effect of an exercise intervention on these measures in older adults with hearing loss. After baseline assessment of function fitness and several psychosocial measures, 60 older adults with hearing loss will be randomized into a 10 week exercise, health education, socialization and auditory rehabilitation program or auditory rehabilitation alone. The exercise program consists of 3/4 of an hour strengthening and resistance training followed by 30 minutes of group walking. The educational session content is determined by participants and is interactive and may include such topics as wills and probate, diabetes treatment, healthy exercise etc. The 3/4 of an hour auditory rehabilitation sessions are modified from an online program and will include interactive sessions on education about hearing and hearing devices/technologies, psychosocial support and enhancing communication skills. At the end of the 10 week intervention the assessments of functional fitness and psychosocial measures will be repeated. The group that was randomized to the auditory rehabilitation alone will then be offered the exercise program.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
66
comparison of 3/4 of an hour balance, resistance and strength training, 1 hour health education, 1 hour auditory rehabilitation
10 weeks of one hour per week of group auditory rehabilitation
Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 321 Reichwald Health Sciences Center, 1088 Discovery Ave.
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
functional fitness
Gait speed (6 minute walk test: distance in meters walked in 6 minutes)
Time frame: 3 months
Psychosocial outcomes
Hearing and health-related quality of life HHIE-25
Time frame: 3 months
Physical and behaviour measures
Physical activity: Time spent in moderate-vigorous physical activity: The Actigraph GT3X+ tri-axial waist worn accelerometer (Actigraph, Pensacola, Florida)
Time frame: 3 months
Project evaluation
Satisfaction with the Auditory Rehabilitation, health education and exercise sessions. Confidence in being able to maintain their newly acquired communication strategies and exercise regime. Comments on how the program could be improved.
Time frame: 3 months
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